Hello, Derrick Henry: Titans decide to cut DeMarco Murray

Strangely, the Tennessee Titans coaching staff stubbornly stuck with DeMarco Murray as the lead of their tailback committee last season, even though Murray was in the middle of an awful season.

Late last season the choice was taken out of their hands due to a Murray injury, and Derrick Henry emerged as a fantastic option in a job he should have had long before. Last season’s Titans coaching staff was moved out, and the new staff won’t be able to screw up the Murray-Henry decision because Murray has been informed he’ll be cut.

After the playoffs, there was no other reasonable option. Henry, a former Heisman Trophy winner and second-round pick, had 156 yards rushing in a great comeback wild-card win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Henry has been up and down in his career, but it’s unfair to judge him because he had to share time with Murray. Now we’ll see if he can handle the load.

In 2016 Murray revived his career in Tennessee after an awful 2015 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, but then 2017 wasn’t so kind. Murray had just 659 rushing yards in 15 games before an injury ended his season. The former Dallas Cowboys star has had a ton of touches in his career, with more than 1,600 regular-season carries, and is 30 years old. Memories of his great 2014 season with the Cowboys or his 2016 season with Tennessee could lead to another shot as a starter, but it would be risky given how much mileage he has put on his legs.

It’s time for a new era in Tennessee. The Titans have a new coach in Mike Vrabel. They’ll have a new featured back in 2018, too.

Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray struggled last season, and the team informed Murray he’ll be released. (AP)